Hey, Jealousy
by janabananah
Summary: Someone is jealous over Rangiku Matsumoto.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N-Yes, this is a Hitsumatsu…just give it some time to develop…and...I don't own the characters…just the stories within…like you didn't already know.**

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**Caught between a rock and a hard place**

It was a beautiful day outside and yet I was feeling a bit down about myself. I thought that a walk would do me some good; it was just a blah day. I couldn't put a finger on what was upsetting me. The walk did help but it did not resolve my state of mind.

"What did you do to her?" I heard my captain say as I approached the office door. I felt compelled to listen further and not enter. Who was he talking to and who was he talking about? "I saw you with her this morning and ever since then she has not been herself. What ever you are doing to my Vice Captain is distracting her from her duties and disturbing the welfare of my division." I took a step back from the door. He was talking about me?

"I don't know wut ya talkin' 'bout." Replied a voice that I would know anywhere. "I have done nutin' to Vice Captain Matsumoto…she sho' is sweet in 'da mornin'" I cringed at his after thought.

I couldn't believe my ears. I was flabbergasted. Why were Gin and my Captain arguing over me? Sure, I was in a bit of a bad mood but that had nothing to do with either of them. I decided to take a look through the keyhole in the door. My Captain stood proudly behind his desk while Gin sat lazily on the couch. His nonchalant demeanor was getting to my Captain. It was supposed to. "But I don't hafta tell ya how sweet she is….ya getta see her ev'ry mornin'."

My Captain slammed his hands down on his desk in frustration. "We have a duty to our division and I won't have you hanging around here distracting her." His eyes were filled with fury.

"Aye-ya, don't be so uptight. We can share her company. She has plenty ta go 'round...or is that 'da thought 'dat keeps ya up all night?" Gin taunted.

I watched as my Captain's face turned a bright shade of red. He was getting tangled in Gin's web. I had to put an end to this. "The only thing that bothers me is the fact that she hasn't been herself lately. I blame you."

I burst through the office door with a huff. Both men stood up from their relaxed positions.

"Whew! I thought that bee was going to eat me! He chased me all the way here!" I lied; changing the subject quickly. "Captain Ichimaru. To what do I owe the honor of your presence?" I said with half a wink.

"I was worried 'bout ya. I came ta check on ya." He said as he crinkled his eyebrow in concern.

"Well…that was sweet…but as you can see your trip was in vain. There is nothing wrong with me."

"See tenth division Captain…she is fine…I done nutin'." Gin smirked.

"She wasn't fine 30 minutes ago." My Captain said matter-of-factly. Gin looked at me with a skeptical eyebrow.

"My Captain is right. I wasn't feeling well this morning. I was just feeling a bit run down but I am better now. Thank you both for your concern." I explained as I walked over to my desk and sat down. I watched out of the corner of my eye I saw my Captain stand taller with pride. Gin came up behind me and whispered in my ear.

"But I thought I was yer Cap'n." His voice pleadingly said. I watched my Captain's face turn sour in the mirror that I keep on my desk top. I watched his head sink with an unreadable sadness and the he melted into his chair to resume working.

"Captain Ichimaru, I fear you are wasting your concern on me. I am fine…now if you would…I have work to…do…"

My words shuttered as his lips brushed my neck. "Ah…but yer Captain seems ta think that I am 'da cause of ya distress…Vice Captain."

"Not today!" I said with a laugh. It was more of a confession than anything else.

"Then pray tell. What is bothering ya?"

"Nothing, I'm fine." I insisted turning to face him. I made my annoyance apparent.

"I must insist that you leave so we can get our work done." My Captain demanded.

"Ah well it seems that ya don't care too much for 'da well bein' of your Vice Captain. I don't know If I can release her to yer care." I rolled my eyes. Gin wasn't here out of concern for me. He was here to annoy my Captain. I was merely his pawn. My Captain was playing right into his hands. Damn that temper.

"Don't insult me. I…I care very much about Matusmoto's health. She is my right hand man! But you are interfering with her ability to do her job." My Captain said through his teeth.

"Is that so? I am sorry ya feel that way. Does it make ya angry that I come to check on Rangiku?" Gin said teasingly as he made his way over to my Captain's desk. I had had enough. I got out of my chair and walked over to where Gin stood. I gave him a stern look.

"I'm fine! Look at me. I'm fine!" I shouted grabbing Gin's hands and placing them on my face. "I am alive. I am well…now I am begging you…return to your squad." Knowing him as well as I do I should have anticipated his next move. I would live to regret it. With his hands, Gin pulled my face toward his violently and caught my lips in a kiss. I tried to pull back but Gin held my face close to his. He did not pull back until I heard the office door slam shut. "Captain?" I questioned as I examined the empty chair. Without a word Gin left me at the office, all alone, to ponder what just had happened.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N- I don't own the characters...just the stories within...like you didn't already know.**

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**Under your skin**

I blinked away my tears as I made my way over to the eighth division's administration building. I needed a friend to talk to. I needed Nanao. When I got to the office my best friend was not to be found.

"She left an hour ago. She didn't say where she was going." Captain Kyoraku informed me. "But, sit, stay a while." I sat down on their couch and we had a drink or two (okay, more like five) as we waited for Nanao to come back to us.

"So are you going to tell me what is eating you or am I going to have to get you drunk first?" He asked with a jovial laugh. I smiled. He could always brighten my day. Captain Kyoraku was like a really cool older brother. He knew what to say to me to make me understand. His wisdom was infinite. But he also knew how to let loose and party. What a great friend he is.

I spilled my guts to him. I explained the situation with my Captain and with Gin. He listened intently without saying a word; nodding occasionally with understanding.

"Well, Rangiku, it sounds like you are in the middle of a love triangle." He said with a smile.

"That's ridiculous!" I exclaimed. What a preposterous assumption.

"Is it? Is it hard to believe that Capatain Ichimaru is using his relationship with you to show off to Captain Hitsugaya? The only reason he would do that is if he knew that Captain Hitsugaya had a crush on you. Come one, Rangiku. You know Captain Ichimaru better than anyone. Think about it."

I thrust myself to the side so that I was lying down on the couch. This all was too much to take in. I closed my eyes as I became enthralled in my thoughts. My Captain has a crush on me? No way. He couldn't. Could he? And Gin? Don't get me started. I hate when he shows me off like a trophy wife but there are two problems: I am not a trophy and I am not his wife. And people say I'm the tease. But Gin takes the cake. He has got some nerve. Ugh!

"You have a way of getting under peoples' skin." Captain Kyoraku interrupted my thoughts. "How did you get Captain Ichimaru to act like a jealous teenager? That's what I want to know." I pensively reflected on his question for a long while. Him? Acting like a jealous teenager? What is the world coming to?

"I don't know." I whined. I soon fell asleep.

I awoke to a harsh hit to my arm that had been draped over the side of the couch. I looked up to meet Nanao's disapproving face.

" You sleeping in my office wouldn't have anything to do with Captain Hitsugaya sulking around the court, would it?" She demanded as she threw my legs off of the couch to make room for herself to sit down.

"What?" I said sleepily.

"What happened with your Captain? He is sulking in the courtyard. If something isn't done soon then the ice capades are going to come early this year." She said sarcastically as she rested her head in her hand.

I shot up; her statement waking me out of my whimsical stupor. This was bad. He was angry. And he was not the angry I liked to deal with. This was not the type of anger a joke or a carefully timed pat on his head would eliminate. This was the anger I feared. This was the anger that sent chills down my spine. This was the anger I knew he needed to learn to control all those years ago. I had to confront him before he hurt someone…especially himself. I also had to find him before Gin did because once he found out that his actions had seeped under my Captain's skin he would come to rub it in. I couldn't let those two near each other. I had to figure out a way to stop this.

"So are you going to keep me in the dark or are you going to tell me what happened with your Captain?" Nanao commented; interrupting my strategic planning .

"It seems that she has gotten herself in the middle of a love triangle between Captains Ichimaru and Hitsugaya." Captain Kyoraku informed her all too happily. "Our little Rangiku is a heartbreaker."

She looked at him and then they both looked at me as if the situation were no surprise at all. Well, it was news to me! Nanao looked at me and smiled.

"As long as I have known her she has been a heartbreaker." She teased. "You have a knack of getting under peoples' skin."

"That's what I said." He commented lazily. "Not that you aren't talented that way, too, sweetheart." She rolled her eyes and then focused her attention to me.

"So what are you going to do?" She asked curiously.

"I am going to go find my Captain and figure out this whole thing before it gets blown out of proportion."

"Just please do me a favor." She begged. "Don't make the situation worse by prodding him." I stood up and stretched my arms to the sky with a yawn.

"You know me." I defended.

"Yeah. I do. That is what worries me." She commented nonchalantly.

"Yeah. Well, I will leave you two love birds alone. Have fun!" I blurted out as I ran out the door before she could respond.

I would like to say that it took more effort to find him than it actually did but with as much spirit energy as he exudes it wasn't a chore at all. He was where Nanao said he was; sulking in the court yard. I approached him from behind.

"What do you want?" He snapped as I walked up to him. I walked around look at his face and he turned away from me. I let out a deep sigh.

"I was worried about you. You left and didn't come back…I…I don't understand why you let him get to you." I stammered as I raised a hand to shield the sun from my eyes.

"I don't let _him_ get to me. It's _you_ that bothers me."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N- FINALLY! I HAD THIS WRITTEN A LIL' WHILE AGO AND I AM JUST GETTING AROUND TO TYPING IT. IT'S SHORT…I'M SORRY. TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK. AND I DON'T OWN THESE DYSFUNCTIONAL CHARACTERS…JUST THE DYSFUNCTIONAL STORY WITHIN…LIKE YOU DIDN'T ALREADY KNOW.**

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**The ice age**

"What?!" I said disbelief. "Me? What did I do?" I tried really hard to look him in the eyes so he could see my innocence first hand but he would not look at me. His eyes remained unfocused in the distance; arms stationary across his chest. Tears began to blur my vision again…but this time I let them fall. "Captain?"

"You are terminally oblivious to everything that happens around you." My forehead crinkled in confusion. That wasn't true. I was able to pick up on his moods-happy, sad, grumpy, grumpy, grumpy… "You couldn't take a hint if it hit you in the face. You are a lazy, good for nothing flirt. All you do is cause me headaches with your incessant teasing.

My tears began to fall like rain and people stopped to watch as my Captain chewed me out in the middle of the courtyard. I was so embarrassed. I just wanted to disappear. "Captain?" I asked sheepishly. Shouldn't we take this inside?" I felt his spirit energy intensify; it almost knocked the wind out of me.

"DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO, MATSUMOTO!" He snapped and I jumped out of reflex.

"I wasn't…I…"

"There is some role confusion, Missy and it ends here. Besides it's not like you have any shame…any feelings for anyone but yourself so what does it matter if we remain out here? And another thing…no more visits from Captain Ichimaru at the office at all." I felt my stomach cringe and I was beginning to feel sick.

"That is not true…" Then the realization hit me. "Oh, my goodness…" I said meekly. "I can't believe I didn't notice it before. You do have a crush on me, don't you?" He let out a hearty laugh.

"You are un-bel-ievable. Your vanity knows no bounds. I bet you think that the world revolves around you."

"You know that is not true…and for the record…I am not the one who said it. I denied it. But why else would you forbid G-ummm-Captain Ichimaru from visiting me unless…" I trailed off taking Nanao's advice.

"Unless what?" He spat icily.

"Nothing."

"Unless what, Matsumoto?"

"Nothing. Never mind." I insisted.

"I order you to finish your statement." With a heavy sigh, I did as I was ordered and I braced myself for the concequences.

"Why else would you forbid me to receive visits from Captain Ichimaru unless…you were…jealous."

His temper went from 'angry' to 'lethal' within a split second and every bit of his fury was directed at me. Now there was no doubt that Nanao and Captain Kyoraku were telling me the truth. I called him out on it and his reaction was telling me it was true. I wanted to run to him, hug him and confess my own secret but his temper got the best of him. I was happy and sad at the same time. There wasn't anything I could say now to calm his spirit, right now. He needed some time to fizzle down.

"Get out of my sight," he said as more of a warning than a request. I pursed my lips together and gave him a look of indignation. Then, I spun on my heel and walked away. I had to push my way through a crowd that had gathered to watch my fallout with my Captain.

I walked in disbelief, back to the eighth division office.

"What problems did your mouth cause?" Nanao asked as she opened the door for me. I walked wordlessly over to the couch and sat down; bringing my knees to my chest.

"You both were right." I admitted as I stared at nothing in particular. "He does love me. Gin must have known and he is trying to hurt his pride using his relationship with me. What am I going to do?"

"When he calms down and he is his rational self again…tell him the truth. Tell him how you feel." Captain Kyoraku advised as he put a hand on my shoulder. "He will come around."

My reflection on his words was short lived as the ground shook with intense fervor. We ran out of the building and looked toward the direction of the blast. When I felt the spirit energy I froze I horror. There was no way it could be…. "Gin."


	4. Chapter 4

"Don't," Nanao called to me but it was too late. I was already running toward the crowd. There were unconscious bodies strewn across the pavement; lower ranking officers that could not withstand the spirit energy emanating from my Captain's Bankai. I stepped over a woman's limp form and I was instantly horrified at the sight that I saw appearing over the crowd.

My Captain wore an indignant scowl on his face as he pointed his sword in Gin's direction. "What do you think you are doing here? Haven't you caused enough damage?" He spat at Gin's smug face. I could feel his spirit energy rise with every breath that he took.

"I have no idea what you are talking about, tenth division captain. I'm just taking in some fresh air. Surely, I mean you no harm," Gin calmly professed. His posture was relaxed and he showed no signs of regret.

My Captain rolled his eyes and cocked his head to the side in an attempt to comprehend the audacity of Gin's nonchalant display.

I ran to my Captain against my best judgment but I felt that I had to correct what damage I had done. This feud could not continue lest a scene of horrible destruction ensue.

"Please STOP!" I shouted as I used my body as a buffer in between the two Captains. I raised my arms to mimic my request for this to end. "This cannot continue, Captain Hitsugaya, Captain Ichimaru, with all due respect, please stop."

Gin did not react. Instead he stood motionless with his arms folded across his chest with a knowing look. He seemed to have anticipated the fact that I would show up to put an end to the foolishness.

"You're in my way, Matsumoto. I thought I told you to leave. You are disobeying a direct order." My Captain warned me as I approached him with caution.

"Captain, please, hear me out. This is all a big misunderstanding. I…"

"Enough, Matsumoto! I have heard enough of you." He explained as he turned his sword on me.

"C-Captain?!? I don't understand. I thought…"

"Now that is a big surprise. You? A thinker? Don't make me laugh." I could feel the iciness of his words as they hit my face with astonishing velocity. "Move, Matsumoto or I will move you."

I looked him up and down. This was the child that I had met so long ago and here he was, a young man in full bloom. I trusted him with my life, heart mind and soul. He had never let me down. He had never betrayed me. If there were only a way to let him know that Gin's selfish antics had no bearing over the aching in my heart. My heart bleeds for my Captain and no one else.

I approached him cautiously and delicately in hopes of snapping him out of his jealousy induced rage. With my arms out stretched I went to embrace him and before I knew it I was on the ground. My head felt like it had exploded as I tried to sit up and grab a firm grip on what had just happened to me.

"That'll win her heart, tenth division Captain," I heard Gin say; his tongue laced in sarcasm. He was so close it felt as though he were in my head.

I tried to open my eyes but only my right eye was able to do so. I reached up to touch my left eye and I winced under the pressure of my fingertip. I pulled my hand back to examine my fingers and I screamed at the sight of my own blood. Tears welled in my eyes. I didn't understand what had just happened.

"That's enough, Captain Hitsugaya and Captain Ichimaru. This has gone far enough. You will walk away right now. There is no reason that Vice Captain Matsumoto should have suffered the injury that I just witnessed." The voice of Captain Kyoraku tore through the silence and was a source of instant comfort. I would be ok. "Come on, sweetheart, we are getting out of here." He was as smooth as butter in his movements as he picked me up and carried me away to the fourth division. I tried to ask him what had happened so I may ascertain the situation but he just hushed me.

"Don't worry, Rangiku. This is out of your hands now. This is war."


End file.
